Tool holder



I. L. LAYTON AND E. T. HOPKINS.

TOOL HOLDER. APPLICATION man on. 21. 1920.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

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anv'ewtow v \QK JAMES L. LAYTON AND EVAN T. HOPKINS, .OF TACOMA,WASHINGTON.

moor. Romania.

aliases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. ill, M922.

Application filed October 21, 1920. Serial No. 418,400.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, JAMES L. LAYTON and EVAN T. HOPKINS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and Stateof Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ToolHolders; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved tool holder which is especially,although not necessarily, designed for holding socket wrenches.

@ne object of the invention is to generally improve upon devices of thisclass by producing one of extreme simplicity which embodies novelfriction roller grip means for engaging the shank of a socket wrench orthe like, this construction of holder permitting any number of differentsizes of socket wrenches to be effectively held by it, the novelgripping means enabling thesocket wrench to be quickly and easilyinserted and removed from the holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool. holder of extremesimplicity and durability, yet highly cilicient and comparativelyinexpensive to the manufacturer and the user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and 1nwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure l is an elevational view, with parts broken away and shown insection to clearly illustrate the construction of the device.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig.1, a socket wrench being shown in dotted lines to indicate the manner inwhich the holder cooperates therewith.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View of the roller retaining ring.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4-. of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of'ourinvention is clearly illustrated, the numeral 1 designates a shank orhandle which is provided at one of its ends with a head 2 of ring-likeformation having a plurality of closely spaced tapered sockets 3 formedin its inner periphery, these sockets xtending transversely across theentire width of the head. Seated in each of the sockets is a grippingroller 4 which is of a length approximately equal to the socket and isof a diameter to extend beyond the inner periphery of the head so as topermit it to frictionally engage the tool. T o guide and partiallyretain the rollers in position and movable with these rollers 1s aretaining ring 5 provided with inwardly tapering slots through andbeyond which the friction rollers project. Careful examination of thisretaining ring will dis close the fact that it is of a width slightlygreater than the width of said head. For the purpose of retaining thering 5 in place and giving the holder an extremely neat appearance, weprovide a pair of spaced plates 6 of ring-like form, one plate beingCllSPOSGCl on each side of the head and secured in position by suitablefasteners such as screws 7. The inner faces of the plates 6 are recessedas indicated at 8 for reception of the extended portions of theretaining ring 5.

As before intimated, our improved tool holder is especially designed forholding socket Wrenchespne of these socket wrenches being shown indotted lines in Fig. 2,to illustrate the manner in which my devicecoacts therewith. lVith the particular construction and arrangementshown, the socket wrench must necessarily be provided with a cylindricalshank which will be passed through the central opening in the head inthe manner disclosed, and the handle gripped and the holder rotated inthe direction indicated by the arrow. By rotating the device in thisdirection, the friction gripping rollers will be moved toward theshallow ends of the sockets and will bind on the shank of the socketwrench as is obvious. In practice, it will probably be necessary to usesocket wrenches which all have the same size shanks. At this point, we

wish to call attention to the fact that theretaining ring 5 could bethickened and provided with a non-circular portion to adapt the devicefor use with tools having non-circular shanks;

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have devised anextremely advantageous and effective tool holder which will permit theuse of any number of different sizes of socket wrenches. it is to benoted that the particular gripping rollers and sockets in which theymove insure that all of the rollers will simultaneously effectively gripthe shank of the tool and will thus prevent accidental displacementof'the tool from the holder. Not only this, the device is effectivesince it 1s possibleto easily and readily disassemble the parts thereoffor repairing and cleaning, and due to its extreme simplicity, it isveryinexpensiv e to manufacturer Since probably the best results may beobtainedfromthe construction and arrangei ment herein shown, thisconstruction and arrangement is ta en as the preferred embodiment ofmy'invention. However, we wish it to be understood that various minorchanges in the shape, vsize, and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Vi e claim l. A tool holder comprising a body including a shank havingaring-like head at its outer end, said head having a plurality of closelyspaced tapered sockets or recesses extending transversely and entirelyacross its inner periphery, a plurality of friction .gripping rollers ofa length approximately equal. to the sockets and of a diameter to extendbeyond' the inner periphery of the head even when. in the deepestportions of said. recesses, a retaining ring provided with slots throughand beyond which the rollers Furthermore, V

extend, and face plates secured on opposite sides of said head to holdthe rollers and retaining ring in place;

2.. A tool holder comprising a body including a shank having a ring-likehead at its outer end, said head having flat faces and being formed onits inner periphery with a ring-like face plates detachably connected tothe flat faces of said head, said plates being of a width to extendbeyond the'inner periphery of said head, the inner periphery of said.face plates belng substantially flush with the inner surface of saidring, and said face plates being formed on their inner sides -withgrooves into which said, ring extends,

whereby said face plates serve to retain the rollers and ring in placeand permit free relative movement of these parts to obtain the desiredgrip on the Work. 7

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

J Aivins L. LAYTON. EVAN r. HOPKINS.

